![Image of: Pride](javascript:openModalArtwork.init({"$id":"1","title":"Pride","descdata":"Gold, silver, silk and wool. 776 x 459 cm.","image":"https://serviciosgcr.galeriadelascoleccionesreales.es/imagenes/Documentos/imgsem/72/7263/72636cda-b576-966c-9249-feb76bfdd154/6a493bb4-0739-aa05-f1e1-ab4a1d0edda5_780.jpg","author":"Pieter Coecke van Aelst, Wilhelm Pannemaker. Brussels, Brabant","desc":"\u0022\\u003Cp style=\\u0022text-align: justify\\u0022\\u003EPride, considered the root of all the vices, finds its counterpoint in Humility, a key virtue for achieving salvation in the Christian tradition. This sin is manifested in different elements of the scene, starting with the imposing setting of Babylon, a symbol of human pride and its desire to equal the divine. In the foreground, figures such as the biblical kings Sesostris and Nimrod personify arrogance punished by God. Behind them, the triumphal chariot of Pride advances relentlessly, crushing those who succumbed to this sin, including Queen Vashti, punished for her disobedience in Persia. Her presence reinforces the moral lesson of this image: Pride leads to ruin. In the upper part of the composition, Modesty looks on disapprovingly, emphasising the unavoidable fate of the proud and reminding us that only humility can redeem the soul.\\u003C/p\\u003E\u0022","location":"Patrimonio Nacional, Inv. no. 10004019","year":"Ca. 1544","pos":"0"}))
![Image of: Lust](javascript:openModalArtwork.init({"$id":"1","title":"Lust","descdata":"Gold, silver, silk and wool. 459 x 832 cm.","image":"https://serviciosgcr.galeriadelascoleccionesreales.es/imagenes/Documentos/imgsem/72/7263/72636cda-b576-966c-9249-feb76bfdd154/1fe9e635-cfa3-b564-e32f-0741ba15023b_780.jpeg","author":"Pieter Coecke van Aelst. Brussels, Brabant","desc":"\u0022\\u003Cp style=\\u0022text-align: justify\\u0022\\u003EThe borders of the tapestries have both an aesthetic and symbolic function, framing the scenes and reinforcing their moral message. In Mary of Hungary\\u2019s set, garlands of fruits and flowers surround the scenes, accompanied by putti carrying attributes of prudence, wisdom and magnanimity. At the upper edges, cartouches with Latin inscriptions taken from Andrelini\\u2019s Distiques moraux emphasise moral teaching. The image of a peacock is particularly notable in the tapestry on Pride as a symbol of vanity that reinforces the work\\u2019s central idea. The Count of Egmont\\u2019s set has more elaborate ornamentation, with fantastical figures, pairs of herms and gold medallions in relief illustrating the virtues that counterbalance the sins. The inclusion of grotesques, characteristic of the mid-16th century, makes it possible to date this second set to a later period, differentiating it from Mary of Hungary\\u2019s, which was made before 1544.\\u003C/p\\u003E\u0022","location":"Patrimonio Nacional, Inv. no. 10004089","year":"Ca. 1544","pos":"1"}))
![Image of: Sloth](javascript:openModalArtwork.init({"$id":"1","title":"Sloth","descdata":"Gold, silver, silk and wool. 455 x 665 cm.","image":"https://serviciosgcr.galeriadelascoleccionesreales.es/imagenes/Documentos/imgsem/72/7263/72636cda-b576-966c-9249-feb76bfdd154/a64793af-1705-85aa-052c-f51ac84d3747_780.jpeg","author":"Pieter Coecke van Aelst, Wilhelm Pannemaker. Brussels, Brabant","desc":"\u0022\\u003Cp style=\\u0022text-align: justify\\u0022\\u003EThe presentation here of two identical sets of tapestries allows comparisons to be made, in this case between their borders. By representing the virtues that counteract the sins, the tapestries in the later series include a complementary message .\\u003Cbr\\u003EAt the lower edge of each tapestry, medallions imitating sculptural reliefs in gilt bronze are set on cartouches supported by allegorical figures. Each medallion has a Latin inscription that names the virtue opposing the sin represented in the principal scene: Charity versus Avarice, Chastity versus Lust, Patience versus Anger, Temperance versus Gluttony, Generosity versus Envy, and Diligence versus Sloth.\\u003Cbr\\u003EThese representations are inspired by both Christian tradition and the literary genre known as The Mirror of Princes, devised for the moral education of monarchs. They thus not only warn of the dangers of sin but also offer a path to redemption.\\u003C/p\\u003E\u0022","location":"Patrimonio Nacional, Inv. no. 10004091","year":"Ca. 1544","pos":"2"}))
![Image of: Gluttony](javascript:openModalArtwork.init({"$id":"1","title":"Gluttony","descdata":"Gold, silver, silk and wool. 460 x 829 cm.","image":"https://serviciosgcr.galeriadelascoleccionesreales.es/imagenes/Documentos/imgsem/72/7263/72636cda-b576-966c-9249-feb76bfdd154/5e8aa5b1-a7c6-271b-556e-5f289307ea88_780.jpeg","author":"Pieter Coecke van Aelst, Wilhelm Pannemaker. Brussels, Brabant","desc":"\u0022\\u003Cp style=\\u0022text-align: justify\\u0022\\u003EThe triumphal chariot is a central motif in this series of tapestries, a symbol inherited from classical antiquity and redefined in the Renaissance. Inspired by the victory parades of Roman generals and medieval allegories of the triumph of virtue over vice, each Deadly Sin advances on a chariot pulled by fantastical creatures - centaurs, snakes or wild beasts - emphasising the destructive nature of these excesses.\\u003Cbr\\u003EThis motif is not a random one: in medieval literature triumphal chariots appear in Petrarch\\u2019s Triumphs and Dante\\u2019s Divine Comedy, in which they symbolise both ephemeral glory and the destiny of souls. In the tapestries the banners and ornaments reinforce this symbolic content, which includes elements such as scattered coins in the scene of Avarice, an allusion to the futility of material wealth. The triumphal chariot thus not only dramatises the scene but also emphasises the sinner\\u2019s imminent fall.\\u003C/p\\u003E\u0022","location":"Patrimonio Nacional, Inv. no. 10004090","year":"Ca. 1544","pos":"3"}))
![Image of: Avarice](javascript:openModalArtwork.init({"$id":"1","title":"Avarice","descdata":"Gold, silver, silk and wool. 437 x 752 cm.","image":"https://serviciosgcr.galeriadelascoleccionesreales.es/imagenes/Documentos/imgsem/72/7263/72636cda-b576-966c-9249-feb76bfdd154/5595ca33-c84b-aa52-c34c-bbf10ee8e977_780.jpeg","author":"Pieter Coecke van Aelst. Brussels, Brabant","desc":"\u0022\\u003Cp style=\\u0022text-align: justify\\u0022\\u003EAvarice is expressed through the figure of kings and historical characters obsessed with the accumulation of wealth, such as Midas and Croesus who were blinded by their desire for gold and thus met tragic fates. The scene is set before the cities of Syracuse and Delphi, known in the ancient world for their wealth and splendour. The central figure advances in a chariot decorated with coins and overflowing coffers, surrounded by followers fighting for more treasures. Pieter Coecke van Aelst\\u0027s tapestries not only illustrate sin but also encourage reflection: Avarice consumes and destroys, leading us to moral and material ruin. Generosity is depicted flying over the scene while the medallion in the lower border illustrates a corporal work of mercy: clothing the naked. This image reminds us that sharing and giving to others is the key to counteracting the corrosive effects of avarice.\\u003C/p\\u003E\u0022","location":"Patrimonio Nacional, Inv. no. 10004065","year":"Ca. 1545","pos":"4"}))
![Image of: Lust](javascript:openModalArtwork.init({"$id":"1","title":"Lust","descdata":"Gold, silver, silk and wool. 433 x 820 cm.","image":"https://serviciosgcr.galeriadelascoleccionesreales.es/imagenes/Documentos/imgsem/72/7263/72636cda-b576-966c-9249-feb76bfdd154/251b7b4b-9f58-bdf2-269c-a48d3525fa6b_780.jpeg","author":"Pieter Coecke van Aelst. Brussels, Brabant","desc":"\u0022\\u003Cp style=\\u0022text-align: justify\\u0022\\u003EBelow the imposing setting of the city of Rome, Lust presents itself in a procession led by Venus and the blind Cupid, the latter shooting his arrows at members of the retinue, including the tragic lovers Pyramus and Thisbe, symbols of forbidden desire. On the opposite side, a triumphal chariot pulled by a fantastical, many-headed creature relentlessly advances, driving over those who succumb to excessive pleasure. The mythological and biblical characters that surround the scene embody both surrender to debauchery and its inevitable consequences. Through this image the tapestry offers a warning on the destructive power of Lust, capable of dragging individuals and societies into chaos. In contrast, the medallion in the lower border shows the act of giving drink to the thirsty, a charitable deed that balances the struggle between the flesh and the spirit, a recurring dilemma in Renaissance iconography and medieval theological tradition.\\u003C/p\\u003E\u0022","location":"Patrimonio Nacional, Inv. no. 10004066","year":"Ca. 1545","pos":"5"}))
![Image of: Sloth](javascript:openModalArtwork.init({"$id":"1","title":"Sloth","descdata":"Gold, silver, silk and wool. 427 x 668 cm.","image":"https://serviciosgcr.galeriadelascoleccionesreales.es/imagenes/Documentos/imgsem/72/7263/72636cda-b576-966c-9249-feb76bfdd154/23b135d4-bb78-7d9e-92f9-b587b93c3334_780.jpeg","author":"Pieter Coecke van Aelst. Brussels, Brabant","desc":"\u0022\\u003Cp style=\\u0022text-align: justify\\u0022\\u003EIn the shadow of the city of Nineveh, a symbol of the decadence resulting from inactivity, Sloth is represented as a figure with a dull expression, heavy eyelids and a languid body, hauled along by donkeys, an emblem of indolence. The scene notably includes characters such as Zoilus, the philosopher who abandoned his wisdom, and King Scipio, whose passivity weakened his kingdom. The arid and desolate setting reinforces the metaphor: lack of effort withers both the spirit and the land. The procession advances slowly, led by a sleeping man on the point of collapse who holds a banner with a snail, a symbol of slowness. In contrast, the medallion in the lower border represents the act of visiting the sick, the work of mercy that counteracts this sin, encouraging action and effort as antidotes to apathy.\\u003C/p\\u003E\u0022","location":"Patrimonio Nacional, Inv. no. 10005095","year":"Ca. 1545","pos":"6"}))
![Image of: Gluttony](javascript:openModalArtwork.init({"$id":"1","title":"Gluttony","descdata":"Gold, silver, silk and wool. 429 x 815 cm.","image":"https://serviciosgcr.galeriadelascoleccionesreales.es/imagenes/Documentos/imgsem/72/7263/72636cda-b576-966c-9249-feb76bfdd154/6541e65b-2335-14bd-ce0a-d7db904be889_780.jpeg","author":"Pieter Coecke van Aelst. Brussels, Brabant","desc":"\u0022\\u003Cp style=\\u0022text-align: justify\\u0022\\u003ESet before the city of Bethulia, this tapestry illustrates the effect of lack of control over our desires and how excess can lead to physical and moral decline. Gluttony is personified as a figure with a swollen face who devours without restraint, surrounded by cooks, tavern keepers and musicians who delight in the overflowing opulence. The advancing triumphal chariot is pulled by harpies, creatures associated with the seduction of the senses. Cleopatra and Philoxenus here personify the self-destruction caused by the abuse of pleasures, while a satyr crowned with vine tendrils reinforces this image of debauchery. The man looking out at the viewer from a military tent is believed to be a self-portrait of Pieter Coecke van Aelst. At the lower edge, the medallion in the border represents the charitable act of feeding the hungry, thus balancing the instincts and maintaining harmony between body and soul.\\u003C/p\\u003E\u0022","location":"Patrimonio Nacional, Inv. no. 10004068","year":"Ca. 1545","pos":"7"}))
![Image of: Anger](javascript:openModalArtwork.init({"$id":"1","title":"Anger","descdata":"Gold, silver, silk and wool. 435 x 750 cm.","image":"https://serviciosgcr.galeriadelascoleccionesreales.es/imagenes/Documentos/imgsem/72/7263/72636cda-b576-966c-9249-feb76bfdd154/83a6cdcf-ace5-8253-3f8c-33d5d535cddf_780.jpeg","author":"Pieter Coecke van Aelst. Brussels, Brabant","desc":"\u0022\\u003Cp style=\\u0022text-align: justify\\u0022\\u003EAnger unfolds in a chaotic scene before Jerusalem. King Phalaris, Medea and Nero embody excessive fury and violence, destroying everything in their path. In the centre, Anger\\u2019s triumphal chariot is drawn by wild beasts, with enraged warriors and supplicating victims around it. The composition of the tapestry, based on dramatic diagonals and expressions of extreme anguish, intensifies the sensation of violence. The presence of weapons and fire reinforces the idea of Anger as an uncontrolled force. At the lower edge, the medallion in the border shows the act of ransoming the captive, an act of mercy that balances the temperament and allows for the peaceful resolution of conflicts.\\u003C/p\\u003E\u0022","location":"Patrimonio Nacional, No. inv. 10004067","year":"Ca. 1545","pos":"8"}))
![Image of: Envy](javascript:openModalArtwork.init({"$id":"1","title":"Envy","descdata":"Gold, silver, silk and wool. 435 x 700 cm.","image":"https://serviciosgcr.galeriadelascoleccionesreales.es/imagenes/Documentos/imgsem/72/7263/72636cda-b576-966c-9249-feb76bfdd154/3be98407-1a24-fed1-2651-930fcae568fb_780.jpeg","author":"Pieter Coecke van Aelst. Brussels, Brabant","desc":"\u0022\\u003Cp style=\\u0022text-align: justify\\u0022\\u003ELocated before the imposing city of Constantinople, this scene shows figures immersed in darkness, conspiring while Envy\\u2019s triumphal chariot inexorably advances. It is pulled by a unicorn, a creature coveted by all and a symbol of unattainable desire. This sin devours characters such as Cain (Abel\\u0027s brother) and Zoilus (Homer\\u0027s sworn enemy), consumed by jealousy to the point of destroying what they can never possess. The composition emphasises averted glances and gestures of resentment, like those of the architect and the artist in the foreground, a reflection of the corrosive effect of Envy. Among the retinue, a knight carries a banner with an animal with a serpentine tail, emblem of the poison of malice. In the lower part, the medallion in the border introduces a moral counterpoint: welcoming the pilgrim, the only corporal work of mercy capable of appeasing envy and teaching us to value the achievements of others without resentment.\\u003C/p\\u003E\u0022","location":"Patrimonio Nacional, Inv. no. 10004088","year":"Ca. 1545","pos":"9"}))
The Author
Read more
Coecke van Aelst, Pieter
(Aalst, 1502 - Bruselas, 1550)
Pieter Coecke van Aelst o Pieter van Aelst (Aalst -Alost en español-, 14 de agosto de 1502-Bruselas, 6 de diciembre de 1550) fue un pintor, grabador, dibujante y editor flamenco. Es también recordado como productor de tapices y porque fue suegro de Pieter Brueghel el Viejo. Fue asimismo tío del también pintor Joachim Beuckelaer. No hay que confundirlo con Pieter van Aelst, un famoso productor de tapices.
